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IC: Pirok"And what do we do when we catch him?" Pirok asked, his tone slightly threatening. "Negotiate with him? Freeze him in a cave? Because that's always worked before."Regardless of what we do, Echelon will still escape. He'll still bring pain and death to those who don't deserve it."

Ic: The tent was loaded into one one launch while Echelon and the Peer were in another and the servants rowed the two boats to the ship.It was large by common standards at 85' from bow to stern, and the rigging lines on port and starboard made it seem even more impressive, but not menacing in its purest form. To Echelon, the ship was just rather nice. The crew gently brought the passenger launch up and unleaded the occupants before the Peer guided Echelon into the hold with instructions for the utmost privacy.There the two stood in awkward silence, Echelon stooped like an old man with a cane and the Peer erect with his own. "Lay down on the table," the man said simply as he began to assemble a tray of tools. A scalpel, some small hooks, several wicked needles and some sinew were just some of the articles he gathered, and withdrew a flask of strong alcohol for curing from his cane, which he set aside. The Peer met Echelon's wary look and sensed mixed trust issues. Despite the work Ambages did with him, there was still ample room to be doubtful of the wealthy and generous. "I'm a doctor," the Peer answered to assuage his doubts. "Doctors are neutral."

IC (Echelon)"You'd better be," Echelon replied, "or soon you'll be very neutral."He closed his eyes, lying back on the operating table."Let's get this over with."Echelon did not enjoy being in a position where he was dependent on the skills of others.

IC: Jikal"Hey, Tillian. Catch."The Toa blinked, and caught what was thrown on instinct. Jikal regarded him from several feet away, having just plucked Naona's staff from Yuru's corpse, and thrown it to the former Bearer. "I think Naona wanted that back.""By the way. Never got to tell you. Sorry Iris crashed your wedding."

Ic: "You trust me for my words alone," the Peer said studiously as he opened the armor that embraced the wound. "You're curious about me; don't deny it. I, a wealthy diplomat, am holding a scalpel to your heart and yet you still lay down here. What would a tycoon be doing if he wasn't in the Cultured Gentry? Why haven't you seen me in those meetings? Those are the questions you're thinking, I know. Names hold much power and can mean many things. My question is simple: Why haven't you asked me who I am, Echelon?"

IC: K'rendar and TerzakThe two beings just stood there watching life in Xa-Koro. Finally, K'rendar said in response to Terzak's question "Let's go look for trouble." They walked off in a random directionOOC Open for interaction

IC (Weta): "Calm down, brothers" Weta interjected. "Remember unity, the first virtue of the three. That is where Mata Nui's disciples gain their power, not by arguing among ourselves. If we are ever fortunate enough to have captured Echelon, then we can seek wisdom on how to treat him. Until then, let's focus on the present - I've never been able to track well while arguing. Quiet yourselves, so we don't warn Echelon of our approach".

IC (Echelon)"Since you did not elect to introduce yourself when I arrived," Echelon replied, "I thought it prudent to delay my questions until the 'unworthy ears' you mentioned were well out of earshot."The Dark Toa sighed."So I ask now," he said. "Who are you?"

Ic: "You could have asked before," the Peer replied in a monotone voice. Doctors were not the most interesting people in the world, it seemed. "But the truth of the matter is that my name doesn't matter. I represent a group to which names lack have the power you would expect. For an example, a name most tremble before on this land, holds no power over me: The Makuta."He carried on with his surgery, letting his words sink in to Echelon's mind. To the dark toa, the idea that there were people the power of The Makuta did not permeate would be near heresy. The Peer would enjoy sharing some secrets with the ward.

IC (Echelon)Echelon listened, occasionally flinching slightly as the doctor carried out his work."Names are not powerful," he replied. "Fear of a name, now...that is a powerful thing. But not to you, it seems..."The Dark Toa mused a little."You are either very influential, or very foolish," he said. "Or, possibly, both. I am intrigued to discover which."

Ic: "You're being hunted, Echelon," the Peer said matter-of-factly. "First Heuani rallies your army, then he's ordering your beheading. If you were considered obsolete a few hours ago, now you're seen as a broken tool." Echelon winced as the doctor prodded the nerves, shooting pain up his spine, but true to his nature Echelon did not groan in rage and instead took the pain for what it was: A temporary nuisance. "Feel that?" the Peer said, creating a lesson from the moment. "It will go away in a moment because the fault for it is mine. Your game in the temple, however, was something you engineered and followed through. The blame for it is your own."The Makuta doesn't take cheating death too kindly, nor does he accept others trying to assume powers he doesn't want. Nobody can life forever, Echelon. If Mata Nui and the Makuta can't, then you of all people don't deserve that right. You made some very powerful enemies, and if you could not succeed in your plan, you can't survive the hunt for you. But people like me can protect you."

IC, Zenix and Spyder: Zenix waited patiently for a small amount of time to pass. Then he heard a clicking noise behind him. He turned around and found Spyder there. "Massster..." began the spiderlike Toa. "Isss it time for usss to leave?" Zenix turned away and stared off into the distance. "Yes," he said simply. He turned and surveyed the other beings. "Strike force, with me- it is time for us to move to Le-Wahi and prepare for our assault," he said. He then turned and began walking in the direction of the jungle, not bothering to turn around and see who was following and who wasn't.OOC: I hope The Mask doesn't mind me moving the strike team to the jungle. Just want to be ready. If he objects to this, I'll edit the post. So, you guys who are left, (I'm not sure who, but I know at least Eyru's guy is there) follow Zenix to the meeting spot, please. Zenix and the strike team to Le-Wahi.

Ic: Echelon had finally asked the question the Peer was waiting for. "It's simple once you understand it," he started to explain. "You are a weapon of the Makuta. You work for him, do his bidding and strengthen his name. People like myself and Ambages," -- name drop -- "however, do not work for or against the Makuta, we work /with/ him. We don't play on the same board and in fact we're playing totally different games, which allows us to use our own rules, our own strategies and our own moves. Right now you're a bishop in the Makuta's chessboard, but by letting us help you you cross over into our game, too, and then the rules totally change for you and your life as you essentially leave his justification.. The Makuta would not dare upset the board in /this/ game. "You see, Echelon, the Makuta is not the only alpha fish in this lake. Life is a room filled with games going on, and the Makuta is just one game master in the room among several. The society which included Ambages and I, for an example. That is the degree of power I can exercise to keep people like you safe."

IC: Skyra - Beach, Kumu Islets -I sighed, looking at Weta, he was right of course. "Well, I have one idea, we split up into groups of two or three, we can cover more ground that way and catch Echelon all the faster."

OOC: Sorry for taking forever. I'm making this really short because I have a job and play practice to attend in just a few minutes =/IC: Dalia:Dalia groaned as she woke up. Whatever had knocked them unconscious had hurt. A lot. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a brilliant white room, and she immeadietly shut her eyes again. She creaked her eyes open again, awaiting her internal programming to modify her senses for her new environment. They didn't. Dalia looked around the room, surprised that she was instead sitting, but immovable, like her hands and legs were fused together. A few seconds after her mind registered those two facts, a dark presence entered the room. It looke- It looked like Tuara. Dalia couldn't be sure, she hadn't seen Tuara much, and the being's features were obscured by the darkness.Then it spoke."What are you?" It asked, not really speaking, but more like sending them to her mind."I... I am a Toa! A Mark Bearer!" Dalia shouted back, not really speaking, as she made no sound, but making the motions with her mouth, while the words seemed to echo through her head."Who are you?" The dark presence asked again."I'm Dalia, just who are you then!?""Why are you here?"Dalia was about to shout out 'to remove my mark!' but stumbled. She didn't know why she was here. Revenge on Arekule for taking her from her home? To be with Angelus? To get rid of her mark? To carve up Utu? Dalia wasn't exactly sure.Before she had a chance to speak, the thing erupted, and the room was suddenly consumed by darkness. It turned everything pitch-black, so Dalia wasn't sure what she saw. When everything is black around you, you try to see colors and patterns where there are none. A moment later, Dalia felt like she was running out of breathe, like something was squeezing her lungs and crushing th-Dalia opened her eyes again, gasping for breathe. No pain. Only... euphoria. Like she'd just finished... or had smelled a particularly potent mixture that she knew doctors gave patients to remove pain. Whatever it was, she wished it wouldn't have to stop. Realizing she was in a temple of sorts, she realized the feeling was gone, and she was with the bearers again.

IC (Merror)Merror nodded approvingly at Weta's words, but he still looked annoyed."With the time we've wasted here, Echelon will have reached Xa-Koro by now," he said. "Splitting up now would not achieve anything but making us easier to pick off."He turned to Pirok."As for you, Pirok," he said, "I don't like what you're implying."There was a warning note in his voice.

IC: PirokPirok resigned himself to glaring at Merror in silence, despite the fact that there were a lot of comebacks he would happily have used. Even the Code has its exceptions, Brother.IC: XerovAs the last of us begin leaving, I follow them along, not wanting to be left behind.OOC Xerov to Le-Wahi.

IC: Tank - Kumu-Islets - Mark Bearer TempleA low growl came from inside the darkness of the temple.Utu stepped forwards. A voice boomed from the innards of the structure, echoing all throughout the clearing, "It is time to end."Utu looked at Tank, and back to the darkness. That was when the shadows erupted, a force of darkness both physically, and spiritually ran forth from the temple doors. All the Bearers who were not already on the ground were pinned by long frothing black tentacles, crushing the air from their lungs.The tentacles ignored those without Marks. Tuara quickly moved to tear away the dark appendage from the nearest Bearer, Emotia, but was quickly smashed aside, flying down the stairs roughly.Tank struggled to push his attacker's arm off of him, using as much force as he could to no avail. He turned his head to see Dalia grasped by a second arm, and dragged inside the darkness. A cry was heard from the Mark Bearer of Pleasure, "Dalia!"Tank attempted to roll out from under the arm, still doing nothing to stop his pinning down. The arm returned, this time taking Praggos with him. Praggos attempted to freeze the arm, only for it to break free instantly. Angelus slashed at one with his sword, the blade passing through it as though it wasn't there. Yet it held down The Seventh just the same.One after another, the Bearers were dragged inside before only three remained. Utu, Salvinn, and Tank.Tank continued to struggle under the power of the arm, that was when the next one came for him. He tilted his head upwards, turning to Utu. A single look in his eyes of wonder and fear, "I suppose we're about to find out who was really right."With that, Tank was pulled into the shadow violently. He didn't struggle. He welcomed whatever it was that would meet him. Death, pain, retribution. It didn't matter. He closed his eyes. At first, he didn't feel anything. Then came a tingling sensation, running up and down his body.Utu called out to the darkness when the tentacle reached him, "I command you to stop!"And stop it did."Why should I?"Utu thought about it for a moment, "Are you not satisfied? You have already taken one Bearer of Fear.""I have yet to adopt the Bearer of Hope.""I never said anything about him."Silence for a moment.Arekule rolled over, much to Utu and Salvinn's surprise. The Toa of sound looked Utu straight in the eye before holding his hand up to the door. It slammed shut at his command. In his last act, Arekule ensured Salvinn would not enter the temple. At the price that Utu wouldn't either.The tentacles disappeared behind the sandstone.Utu slowly stood to his feet. He was wrong. But that didn't mean Tank was right. If anything, the Toa was dead. Whatever was sucking them in wasn't playing games.He stood, staring at the wall before him. He quickly turned around, and walked down the stairs, past the unconscious Tuara and into who knows where.

IC: [The Seventh]When Jaliax the Seventh had awoken, she did not expect to find herself lying face-down in the mud and covered with seaweed. She also did not expect a small Rahi that was trying to chew on her right arm. Her body suddenly shifted, the layer of mud that was covering her cracking and falling apart as she did so. This sudden movement also scared off the Rahi, which promptly scurried off.Rolling onto her back, the Seventh stared at the sky for several long seconds, before deciding to get up. She leaned forward, stretching her arms as she did so. Something flickered in her mind, and she quickly moved her head to the side, staring at her grey shoulder. Where the Mark of Courage had formerly been, there was merely a simple red streak."That ... was unexpected," she muttered, continuing to stare. "Okay Seven. You have no Mark of Courage anymore. This means you won't be able to feed off the magical qualities of Courage. That is a bad thing. You also won't die from a lack of Courage, nor get sick every time you feel courageous. That is a good thing."The Ga-Matoran paused, before falling back onto her back."Screw it. Too tired to deal with this anyway."

IC (Echelon)Echelon nodded. Interesting; the Matoran seemed to think his loyalty was negotiable. Still, this was quite an opportunity...and it would be foolish to ignore such an opportunity."Very well," he said. "You have piqued my interest."Opening his eyes, Echelon looked down at his chest."I must say, you are doing a fine job," he remarked, as the Matoran did his work. "How much longer do you need?"

Ic: "Not much," the Peer said. "Just a few stitches and a final antiseptic and my work on you will be done. But the work with you, on the other hand, would be just starting. I appreciate your attention and praise," he said."As you probably guessed from your meeting with Ambages, there's always an investment requested for your return." Echelon nodded. "Good, well the rule applies here, too. We are interested in you mainly because you have a special task of being the Makuta's ground captain and messenger, whenever Ronkshou is lazy and Heuani is being a demon shadow baby. That makes you central to almost every major conflict on the islands, such as the battle over Pala-Koro. Your ability to play in both games alone makes you valuable, but on top of that you are regarded as one of the most powerful soldiers on Mata Nui, and that just makes it all the better."Ambages and I have our own lieutenants. Hiemalis is one, as is Brykon and Dorian -- in fact, the last one is one way were able to know so much about your recent... exploit, whether he knew it or not. A fine lineup of soldiers, but should any of them actively rebel or go rogue, we need someone powerful enough to reign them in. Theoretically, they are already checking and balancing each other, but there always needs to be a bigger fish. The time may come that we need other services you possess, but they can be done whilst you accomplish other tasks for the Makuta, who I assure you will not be willing to lay a finger on you so long as we wish it."The Peer finished the sewing and poured some alcohol on the wound. The effect was searing pain, but it soon was numbed and the wound began closing naturally, new tissue visibly growing. The Peer wiped his hands and slid he tool cart away, allowing Echelon to sit up. "That would be all one arrangement. But before you agree to that one, I would ask that you first agree to a smaller one. I want an answer to a question as a matter of personal curiosity, and considering the fact that I just did you a favor in and of itself, I'm sure you would agree that I more than earned it. The question is, what connection does the Makuta have to the Cultured Gentry?"

IC: [The Seventh]As the Seventh continued to stare up at the blue sky, lazily watching the clouds move slowly across the plains of azure above her, she finally had the time to fully comprehend what not having a mark meant; a life that was not filled with suffering, a life that would allow her great freedom. She would no longer have to feed off courage constantly, nor would she experience the side-effects of mark activation.In short, she had been freed from the cage that her mark had made, and now had boundless freedom.Freedom which she had no idea what to do with."I'll just go find Wraith then," she mumbled, pulling herself up. "Now I just need to get to the temple ... wherever it is."

IC (Echelon)Echelon nodded slowly at the Peer's words. It wasn't flattery; it was fact. "You want an enforcer," he said. "Just in case one of your precious lieutenants goes rogue. I'm sure I could fulfil that role."And in so doing, keep a foot in your camp...The Peer finished the sewing and poured some alcohol on the wound. The effect was searing pain, but it soon was numbed and the wound began closing naturally, new tissue visibly growing. The Peer wiped his hands and slid he tool cart away, allowing Echelon to sit up. "That would be all one arrangement. But before you agree to that one, I would ask that you first agree to a smaller one. I want an answer to a question as a matter of personal curiosity, and considering the fact that I just did you a favor in and of itself, I'm sure you would agree that I more than earned it. The question is, what connection does the Makuta have to the Cultured Gentry?"Echelon sat up slowly, one finger tracing the stitches on his chest."You have healed me, and for that I am grateful," he replied. "The information you request is...sensitive, shall we say. And I must confess that the full nature of the pact is not known to me. But as a gesture of goodwill, I shall tell you what I know."And I shall hope Makuta forgives me. But I'm sure he will understand..."The Gentry have a mutual agreement with the Makuta and his most favoured," the Dark Toa intoned. "They use their economic and political power to secretly bolster our power, and in return Makuta allows them to retain their position of prosperity. Only the very highest-ranking of the Gentry's elite know of this - and the same may be said of my compatriots. But you speak of Ambages as an associate; he is a Gentryman, is he not? I would have thought that he would have been able to obtain the information you seek."Echelon swung his legs off the operating table and rose to his feet. He called on Magnetism to wave his chest armour closed - but found himself unable to. Slightly disturbed, he targeted a scalpel on a nearby tray. Again - nothing happened.He gave the Peer a glance."Curious," he said. "Something is inhibiting my elemental powers."